Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/151

 CHAPTER X THE WEST : FROM CLOVIS TO CHARLEMAGNE When the Roman Empire was established under Augustus, we saw that it already extended over Europe, south of the Danube, and west of the Rhine, and that it never effec- i. Teutons tively or for long occupied territory beyond these in the West, boundaries. Within these limits, west of a line drawn from the headwaters of the Rhine to the head of the Adriatic Sea, the population consisted almost entirely of three. m .. . Latin Europe, original elements : the Pre- Aryan, which was pre- dominant in Spain, was fairly extensive in Gaul, and was represented in Italy mainly by the Etruscans; the Celts, who were in some force in Spain, predominant in Gaul and in the northern plains of Italy; and the Italian, predominant in Italy and leavening both Spain and Gaul. But the Italians were the ruling race, and the whole became completely Latinised ; that is, it acquired a Latin character and the Latin language prevailed in it. During the latter part of the fourth century and the fifth century a.d., the Teutonic tide swept over the whole region, and we shall see that in the sixth century Teutons Latins and were lords of the whole of it. Nevertheless, the Teutons, remarkable fact remained, that although the Teutons were never driven out or reconquered by earlier populations, it was the Latin language, Latin ideas, and the Latin character, which ultimately prevailed over the whole area. Outside that area the Teutons remained Teutonic however intimately they may have been connected with the Teutons who within that area became Latinised. Here within the Roman Empire the invad- 139